1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for stacking pallets on which articles having a substantially flat surface, preferably large sacks, have been deposited, comprising spaced apart parallel tines, which constitute lifting arms and are adapted to extend under the pallets or into openings thereof and are mounted on a slide, which is movable in vertical tracks and adapted to be lifted and lowered by drive means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known apparatus of that kind consist of fork lift trucks in which the tines are secured to a fork carrier, which is secured to a lifting frame that is guided in a mast and is adapted to be lifted and lowered. Fork lift trucks are used, e.g., to carry and transport articles which have been deposited on pallets. For an economical operation of fork lift trucks, the stacks transported by the fork lift trucks should be as high as is consistent with the stability of the stacks. The operation of fork lift trucks to form higher stacks from juxtaposed articles deposited on pallets in that said pallets are stacked on each other is a time-consuming work, which can be carried out only with difficulty particularly if such articles become available at a high rate in production or processing operations, as is the case, e.g., with filled large sacks which come from a filling and closing machine and have been deposited on pallets.